I've often handed out my books to strangers in public a few times, but I always ask first if they'd like one. Just shoving a book into someone's hands seems a bit rude to me. I've also read about releasing books in the wild, ala Book Crossing, but I've never purposely left books in a public place to be found by anyone (accidentally, however, I have -- and I apologize to whoever found my old copy of Brave New World on that park bench three years ago.) I think my main hesitation is the prospect of a child too young to be reading my adult fiction picking up the book and reading it without letting Mom and Dad know. Under those circumstances some books can be like Pandora's box.

I most like finding out what people enjoy reading and without warning giving them books I think they'll appreciate. I think of those as book drops -- the gift of a story I believe is suited to the recipient but that they don't expect. I have pretty good luck with matching the book to the person, too.

Today I want to try a controlled book drop experiment -- on you all, of course. In comments to this post let me know in general what sort of stories you enjoy reading (and it seems to work better if you don't tell me the names of your favorite titles or authors, but instead describe the type of story) by midnight EST on Sunday, July 15th, 2012. I'll choose three names at random from everyone who provides me with a description, and send the winners a book I think they'll enjoy reading. In return, I ask that the winners tell me after they've read the book what they thought of it so I can post the answers here on the blog. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something at PBW in the past.

30 comments:

I like books with strong female protagonists who don't suddenly discover their paranormal abilities after wild monkey sex with the solitary, muscular, brooding hero who hasn't had sex in at least 500 years. (I'm serious.)

I enjoy fantasy with romance, strong heroines/heros, good vs evil, magic...Horror novels that scare the beejesus out of me (particularly pyschological stuff), sci-fi with a bit of romance, exotic worlds, psychic abilities, time travel...

I could go on, but that should be enough.

I LOVE this idea, and I've considered using Book Crossing for my poetry chapbooks. It's a really neat idea.

What a wonderful idea! As a librarian, I've left a few books in places to 'set them free', like doctors' offices and cafes. I usually choose all-ages titles (and since some of the cafes have 'kids' sections, I choose kids books for those). As a small child, we didn't get many books, so I'm a sucker for donating to book drives, too.

My book loves: I read both fiction and non-fiction. For fiction, I enjoy fantasy (often YA) and historicals (both romances and things like the Long Winter). I love to get to know a character as they grow and change through experience. I loathe grimdark stories with nothing but angst--you know the kind. Oprah-type stories where everybody dies of malaria or gets killed or becomes addicted to who knows what. A bit of dark is fine, but there better be some hope at the end.

I also adore non-fiction, and I admit that I often curl up with a non-fic book for hours. My favorites here are craft books of all kinds--I quilt, knit, and garden. I've begun playing with art journaling and have taken teeny tiny steps with bookmaking (so much fun!). I recently read a great book about growing roses called the Right Rose in the Right Place, by Peter Schneider, and he's convinced me to branch out a teeny bit in my rose choices. I'm going to try planting something outside my comfort zone.

Entering for my daughter (in her 20s), who just told me she has discovered she loves stories centered on a naive, unlikely, young female protagonist who finds her strengths and saves the day, almost always with the help of an equally unlikely mentor/guide.

I like paranormal and romances best--even better if they're paranormal romances. But I read science fiction, horror, YA, historicals, drama,etc. I love saucy heroines who stand up for themselves, even to their male or female love interest. But I like a guy who can or at least tries to dominate/control the situation, both of whom can give great comebacks. Comedies are great. I enjoy to laugh. But I also want something where there is a plot. Not just "Oh, hi. You're pretty." "Your handsome." "Let's have sex." "Okay!" And we'll just have your brother be a werewolf trying to kill you for no obvious reason until the end of the book to make our relationship interesting.

Non-fiction is great. If it's written in a style I enjoy. Usually for a person, more like an actual story than a memoir. I write, so I read a lot of books on writing.

I like books (fiction or not) that explore other cultures, ideals, religions, no matter the time period.

The only books I haven't been able to read are about aliens coming down to destroy the planet. I blame the movie Independence Day. Once I saw that as a child I had nightmares for a week, was afraid of public bathrooms and it took me a long time to be able to see another alien movie without having nightmares--or thinking of Indpendence day. I digress.

Ooh, interesting concept :). I'm in it for the story, so it's hard to limit. I generally prefer non-modern except where urban fantasy and all shades of romance are concerned. I prefer stories with strong characters, though whether complex narratives or candy reads depends on my mood. It's easier to say what I don't like than what I do, because it's the smaller category. I'm pissed off by self-righteous or arrogant main characters who use the people around them without either noticing or caring. And I love being transported to different places or times, to see a bit of our world, or one that only exists in fiction, that I might not have experienced in real life. That's why in non-fiction I tend to prefer anthropology or historical biography over straight information.

I love a good fantasy or sci-fi story that is set anywhere but Earth, preferably with non-humans, and entirely new cultural concepts. I'm flexible in terms of story, but things I don't go for are straight romance, erotica, and I've yet to meet a truly excellent horror novel. In short, I love fictional stories set in new places with an anthropolical focus in the background.

Lovely idea... and one I've been known to use on my friends... they all know they're most likely to get book gifts from me.

In fiction reading I go for the fantasy. Alternate worlds, historical, urban, high fantasy... I love them all as long as it's just different enough from this world for me to escape properly. Oh and don't forget the strong characters (personality strong, not necessarily beat up all the bad guys strong), engaging story, well paced action, romance and the happy ending. Such a sucker for the happy ending.

In non-fiction my college degrees come out to play. History, anthropology, psychology... especially when we're talking eras prior to the Industrial Revolution. There's a reason I don't have the traditional baskets or dishes decorating the top of my kitchen cabinets... it's articulated gauntlets and steel helm made to fit me instead.

I read almost anything except straight Urban Fantasy and series that have one H/Hn and no ending after 47 books. I need my HEA at the end of each book or at least a HFN. It's a rare author who can interest me enough in a story to buy the fifth or sixth book in their ongoing saga (Gabaldon comes to mind, though I'm not reading her anymore either). I prefer historical paranormal or time travel, but straight historical or contemporary is good too. :o)

Right now, I'm reading a book on poisons though...

I've done the bookbomb. I spend time on a forum with a large group of friends and when one of them mentions a book they've thought about, I'll send it to them. Not quite the same as leaving it in a public place, and I know the ages of the bombees, but it's still fun.

I like Paranormal Romance or Urban Fantasy that is heavier on the plot and characters than how many times they can hop into bed. Give me Great Characters in a Good Series and I will read everyone. Love the idea of passing good books along. I find the best reads that way.

I love adventure stories. Currently reading Book 9 of the How To Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell and it's off to a killer start. Book Crossing is a really cool experiment; commit random acts of literacy! You never know where a book will end up.

I am really anything paranormal. I verge into other genres at times. And love romantic suspense as well. And if you combine rom sus with paranormal I am about as happy as I can get. I really read on mood. But always come back to the paranormal genre. Doesnt matter if its straight para or UF classified either.

I enjoy stories about regular people (women or men, young or older) being thrust into circumstances that force them to become heroes.This kind of story telling works for me whether its mystery, literary fiction, or fantasy.I prefer, though, that the story is not about fate -- i.e. so and so was fated to lead their people and discovers this after a prophecy, a test, a mentor tells the, they find a secret book, etc.